Police Warn Public About Counterfeit Money

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Store cashiers like Kathleen Hollinger are being more cautious and closely checking every bill that changes hands at the cash register.

That's because phony $10 and $20 bills have been passed at local businesses, including where she works.

"We tend to pay a little more attention to the thickness and the color and we run our pens across basically everything," said Hollinger.

Potsdam police say the crudely-made counterfeit bills involved three different business locations and different individuals.

But the fake bills appear to have the same origin.

"The bills that we have appear to be made from a high-quality printer and appears that it's a one-sided copy, front and back of a bill that was adhered together," said Lt. Mark Murray of the Potsdam Police Department.

The bogus bills have turned up at the Sunoco A-Plus Mart on outer Market Street, the Potsdam Co-op and IGA supermarket, both on Elm Street, over the last few days.

Police say in each of the three incidents, the bill holders said they didn't know the money was fake and that they had received it in other transactions.

It's not known whether this rash of bogus bills is connected to a fake $50 bill passed at the Potsdam PriceChopper supermarket a few weeks ago.

Police are urging local businesses and banks to be on the lookout for the counterfeit bills and contact them at 265-2121 if any turn up.